Every race on the calendar looks appealing. But not every race deserves your energy.

The Race Priority System

A Races (1-2 per year)

What they are:

• Your main goals
• Fully trained for
• Peak performance expected

How to treat them:

• Training plan built around them
• Full taper
• Best effort

B Races (3-5 per year)

What they are:

• Important but not primary
• Good efforts, not peak
• Often training races

How to treat them:

• Maybe reduced taper
• Solid effort but not maximal
• Gauge fitness

C Races (As desired)

What they are:

• Just for fun
• Training through them
• Social or experience focused

How to treat them:

• No special preparation
• Run by feel
• Enjoy the event

Course Considerations

For PR Attempts

Ideal characteristics:

• Flat or net downhill
• Few sharp turns
• Wide roads (less congestion)
• Good running surface
• Appropriate size (not too crowded, not empty)

Examples of fast courses:

• Chicago Marathon (flat, fast)
• Berlin Marathon (flat, fast)
• Many point-to-point courses

For Experience

Different priorities:

• Scenic routes
• Unique locations
• Historic races
• Bucket list venues

Worth slower times:

• NYC Marathon (hilly but iconic)
• Big Sur (stunning but tough)
• Trail races in beautiful locations

Understanding Elevation

Net downhill:

• Finish lower than start
• Can be faster but harder on legs
• Boston is net downhill but hard due to hills

Net uphill:

• Typically slower
• May not matter for non-competitive goals

Rolling hills:

• Variable effort
• Can be hard to pace
• Some runners prefer to flat

Weather and Timing

Optimal Racing Weather

Ideal marathon conditions:

• 40-55°F (4-13°C)
• Low humidity
• Overcast or light sun
• Light or no wind

When to find it:

• Spring: April-May in most locations
• Fall: September-November in most locations
• Avoid summer for PR attempts

Seasonal Considerations

Spring racing:

• Winter training (cold, dark, possibly indoor)
• Watch for unexpected heat
• Good for early-year goals

Fall racing:

• Summer training (heat adaptation)
• Usually most reliable weather
• Popular racing season

Summer racing:

• Heat affects performance significantly
• Lower expectations
• Hydration critical

Winter racing:

• Cold can be managed with clothing
• Ice/snow risk
• Fewer options

Building a Race Calendar

Working Backward

Start with A race:

1. When is your goal race?
2. How much preparation time needed?
3. What B races fit the timeline?
4. Fill in C races as desired

Example Calendar

Marathon goal in October:

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Too many races:

• No time to train properly
• Always recovering or tapering
• Performance suffers

Wrong timing:

• Racing when should be building
• Big races too close together
• Not enough recovery between

All A races:

• Can't peak for everything
• Mental and physical drain
• Better to prioritize

Local vs. Destination Races

Benefits of Local

Practical advantages:

• No travel stress
• Sleep in your own bed
• Familiar environment
• Lower cost

When local is best:

• PR attempts (no travel fatigue)
• Frequent racing
• Budget constraints
• Family obligations

Benefits of Destination

Experience advantages:

• New places to explore
• Major race experiences
• Running tourism
• Bucket list completion

When worth traveling:

• Once-in-a-lifetime events
• Races with special significance
• Fast courses worth the trip
• Combining with vacation

Travel Racing Tips

If you go:

• Arrive early (2-3 days for marathon)
• Don't expect PR (travel adds stress)
• Treat it as experience first
• Plan logistics carefully

Special Race Considerations

Major Marathons

World majors (Boston, NYC, Chicago, London, Berlin, Tokyo):

• Incredible experiences
• Not always fastest courses
• Entry challenges (lottery, qualifying)
• Worth doing once

Small Local Races

Underrated benefits:

• Low stress
• Support local running
• May win age group
• Community connection

Virtual Races

When they make sense:

• Schedule flexibility needed
• Specific training purpose
• Supporting a cause
• Pandemic era adaptation

Choose races that serve your goals, not just fill your calendar. Use our Race Time Predictor to set realistic targets, and track your race results on your dashboard.